Love in the Making
by nD kS nW
Summary: A compilation of sweet scenes between Lily and the Marauders. It all leads up to how a relationshop between Lily and James came about, and how it changed from friendship into marriage. begins fifth year and ends the day of the wedding. Much fluff, but als


Sorry, this is a one-shot, but I feel a sequel in the making.

The explanations in between the scenes (you'll see what I'm talking about) kind of fade off toward the end.

oooooooo

Remus had been the first Marauder that Lily had fallen in love with. In fifth year, they had been prefects together, and she suddenly viewed him as Remus Lupin, not one of James's friends. Looking back on it, Remus _had _always been a little different from his friends, namely Sirius and James. He was more reserved, and he didn't spend his time hexing anyone that walked near him. In fact, he often told James that hexing the first years would only turn Lily off more.

So it was no surprise when Lily soon realized that Remus was quickly becoming one of her best friends. See, she was beginning to discover that there is a difference between boys and girls. No matter how close she was to a girl, no matter how amazing she thought their friendship might be, she found that she could never really trust a girl one hundred percent. Because Lily was a girl, and she knew o girls' minds worked.

In late fifth year, she had realized that whenever she had something truly deep and dark, she ran to Remus, whether it be good news or bad. If it was important, he knew, and, lucky for Lily he was so smart, because he always seemed to single out the best thing to do in such a way that Lily found herself gaping and wondering how she could be so stupid.

oooooooo

"You, come here," Lily ordered, grabbing the front of Remus's shirt and pulling him out of the common room. They foursome of boys had just walked into the common room, half sulking, half cheering. Now, however, Sirius was staring after his friend with raised eyebrows, and James was staring after his friend with a face full of jealousy and suspicion.

"Hello Lily, where are we going?" he greeted her cheerily as she dragged him away.

"The astronomy tower," she answered, her voice hard to read.

"Oh, well…gee Lily. We can't be together like that," he stumbled over his words, not thinking of Lily as anything more than a close friend. "You're James's girl."

"Not for _that," _she whined, turning around to roll her eyes at the boy. "And I am _not _James's girl."

"You will be," he chuckled as they ascended the stairs.

At the top of the tower, she released him and he stumbled slightly backwards. She sat down, neatly folding her legs into a criss-cross, and leaned against the wall of the tower. "I've figured you out," she revealed, not looking at the boy.

He stood some six feet away from her, arms crossed over his chest. "Have you now?" he asked, having no idea as to what Lily was talking about.

"You know," she began, looking at her hands, realizing that this conversation was going to be more awkward than she had initially estimated, "there are only two reasons why people miss school once a month." Her statement had started in a proud, self assured voice, but ended gently in a near whisper. "And one doesn't apply to those with Y chromosomes…. You don't realize how intelligent I am, Remus," she added, trying to lighten the mood.

"And, eh, how intelligent are you?" he asked, trying to conceal the fact that his face was quickly draining of color.

"Oh," she exasperated, getting up and walking over to the boy. His efforts had failed, alas. "Remus, you know you could have told me." She wrapped an arm around his neck and attempted to pull him into a reassuring hug.

But he just stiffed and stepped back. "It's not exactly something I like advertise. You know, 'Look at me, a fat, stinking werewolf,'" he spat.

"But," she began, struggling for words, "but it's not you. It's not as if you enjoy it or asked for it."

"Bloody hell I didn't. What in hell kind of person do you take me for?"

"A bloody wonderful one," she yelled. "You see me here caring, don't you? You think I go around _caring _about everyone? You think I go around telling _everyone everything _about me? God, Remus, how dense are you?"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, looking down. "It's just not one of my favorite subjects, you know."

"Don't be."

"I should have told you," he shook his head.

"No, you shouldn't have. I wouldn't have told me either." She pulled him into a hug, and this time he let her.

"I think you're a bloody wonderful person, too," he joked as they made their way towards the door.

"Shut up."

oooooooo

But once Lily had accepted Remus as a friend, it wasn't long before Sirius had weaseled his way in too. At the end of fifth year, Lily began to fear that Remus was becoming something more than a very close friend to her. She was afraid that she was actually falling for him.

But her suspicions were corrected not long after when one day in mid march a certain Hufflepuff sixth year asked her to go to Hogesmeade with him. She eagerly accepted, and soon Lily found herself head over heels for Edgar Bones. The two were seen everywhere together, and he even allowed her to call him Eddie, a privilege he granted to no one else.

It broke the Marauder's hearts to see their friend so miserable. After all, how could James get Lily when Lily couldn't take her eyes off of Edgar? In the end, when Lily experienced her first trouble in paradise, the most unexpected person was there to help her through it.

oooooooo

It was late, Lily knew that much. Probably near midnight or just after. She hadn't been sleeping. She sniffed, keeping back a few tears. She made her way down to the common room, thinking it would be empty; she didn't want to wake up the other girls in her dormitory. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she hadn't looked up before she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Lily?" Sirius asked, clearly surprised.

"'lo," whispered in a hoarse voice, offering a small smile. "I didn't think anybody would be down here."

"It's this damned paper for Minnie," he sighed, leaning back with his feet on the table. "Due tomorrow."

Lily nodded. "Didn't mean to disturb," she whispered, turning around.

"No, don't be," Sirius called, leaping up and turning her to face him, "you're a much need distraction. Come, sit." She allowed him to lead her to the couch. "Well, you're being awfully nice to me, now, aren't you?"

"Sorry to disappoint. I'm not really in the mood for frivolous bickering," she shrugged.

"I see," Sirius nodded. "How's _Eddie?_" He stressed the last syllable, teasing her for the nickname. He looked up in time to see a couple of tears slip out onto what he now realized was an already wet face. "Oh, Lils."

"I don't really know."

"Lillian, what happened," he asked. For once his voice was sincere.

"He said I should have seen it coming," she muttered bitterly.

"Why on earth would you have seen it coming?"

"Because Remus and I had just caught him with Marcy."

"He did it in front of Remus?" Sirius asked. Lily nodded. "Little Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Lily, he's an idiot."

"You're just saying that because your best mate fancies me," she smiled, more for Sirius than for her. He noticed more tears coming more steadily.

"No, no," he assured her, "she's cheap Lily. She'll only last a few days. You're worth it." He pulled his sleeves over his fingers and wiped her tears away with his thumbs.

She choked out a sob, and Sirius quickly pushed his arm around her and pulled her into a type of sitting hug. "I'm sorry," she choked out. "I know boys don't like it when girls cry."

"It's quite all right," he soothed, rubbing small circles on her back.

"Since when are you so smart?" she asked in between tears.

"I know what it feels like."

"When has a girl ever cheated on you?" she asked, once again attempting lightness but failing.

"No, I mean… when you're hurt badly. It feels like… like you have this hole in the middle of you and someone keeps sucking all the air out of it. It feels like your stomachs about to cave in and your body will be sucked inside out. Like you're about to eat your throat."

She looked up at him in amazement, her eyes glistening. "How do you…"

"I didn't exactly have a dream childhood," he whispered, looking away.

"You're sweet," she murmur, feeling his soaked t-shirt with her cheek.

"What was that?" he chuckled, squeezing her shoulder.

"So you're not all bad," she revealed. "I just wish there was a way to tell who the bad ones are before you fall for them."

"I happen to know of a boy that would never hurt you," Sirius let on.

"Yes he would," Lily sighed, knowing exactly who Sirius was talking about. "He'd cheat on me fist chance he got."

"Hey," called, commanding her attention, "I don't know if you know this, but James really cares for you. He's not looking for a good time or a good snog. He just wants to be with _you_….. Lily, he's convinced himself he's in love."

"I can't imagine James Potter thinking about Love."

"I mean it, Lils."

"Look, why do you think I won't date him?" she asked.

"Because you're oppositional," he answered.

"Because, if I do, James Potter is going to break my heart," she whispered, hiding her face.

"Well right now, you're breaking his," Sirius informed her in a voice holding much meaning. "Good night Lillian," he squeezed her hands and stood up.

"What about your essay?"

"Oh, I don't believe Minnie honestly expected me to turn it in," he shrugged, stretching.

"Sirius wait," she gasped, hopping up and running over to him. He turned to face her, nothing but care on his face. He watched her as she closed her eyes and placed a kiss so soft on his cheek that she almost doubted it had happened. "Thank you, Sirius," she whispered in a voice as sweet as honey.

"You know we all care very much about you Lily," Sirius assured her before closing the door to the Marauders' dorm.

oooooooo

Not long after, Lily decided that she wanted to know the Marauders. Everyone noticed something between Lily and Sirius after that. She didn't treat him so badly and he didn't do things to annoy her. He would greet her and she would greet him and they would joke and share some banter. Sometimes the two walked to class together (they both had divination after lunch). And sometimes the two would be seen studying together in a half empty common room. Lily decided that id half of the Marauders weren't terrible people, then the other couldn't be so bad.

To tell the truth, she had never gotten such powerful vibes from Peter. He didn't have a presence that commanded attention, and, as much as Lily would hate to admit it, unlike the other three, Peter wasn't an amazing specimen of a man. Even Lily had to admit, much as she hated it, that James and Sirius, even Remus, were drop dead gorgeous. Peter, however, she saw as weak and a bit of a follower. She saw no reason that James and James alone should prevent her, Lily Evans, from hanging out with two of her friends.

oooooooo

Lily dramatically fell into the seat next to Remus at he Gryffindor table in the Great Hall one morning. She had a look about her that day that felt as if she had just rolled out of bed looking amazing, and it drove James nuts.

"Morning," she yawned, reaching for an apple from a bowl not far away.

"Good…morning, Lily?" Remus replied with a questioning tone.

James stared quizzically at Remus, as if to ask if he knew this was going to happen, but he only shrugged. Sirius also seemed to be clueless. Disappointed, James went back moping.

"With what do owe the pleasure of you gracing the lowly ranks of us?" Sirius asked.

"Needed change of face. Girls are getting too _bitchy_ lately," she answered, whispering the word bitchy as if she were ashamed to use such a harsh word. "Pass the hash browns, Pete, I'm starving."

Lily spooned some grape Jelly onto a biscuit she had just finished picking out. "What's wrong James?"

"What?" he coughed, fighting down his egg.

"You look sullen," she explained, tilting her head to the side to examine him.

"He's not a morning person," Sirius explained.

"I know… I mean, I've noticed, but you look especially sullen this lovely morning."

"Oh, well, um… I was just hoping for some good news, but didn't get any," he answered, picking up his glass.

"Sorry to hear that, mate," she nodded, pushing some eggs around her own plate.

"Why is it a lovely morning?" Remus teased.

"I dunno," she shrugged, "there's something about it. Makes me want to do something new. Something unexpected."

"I've had those morning," Sirius laughed.

"More than our fair share," James added.

"Bloody," Lily cursed, gathering her stuff and jumping up. "I got to go. I have to talk to Flitwick before charms. See you at lunch then," she nodded to the bunch. "Hope you hear you're news James," she called, briskly making her way down the aisles.

After she was out of earshot, explosions erupted.

"What the bloody hell was that?" James whispered.

"I dunno, strange," Peter sighed.

"I guess she wanted to eat breakfast with her friends," Remus suggested, as if to say _duh._

"She doesn't like us, mate," James informed his friend.

"She likes me," Remus defended.

"Yeah, and me too," Sirius piped.

"Since when?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, I noticed she's warmed up to you a tad," James admitted mournfully. Is Lily Evans suddenly close to everyone in the world besides him? He was almost positive that he was always nicer to her than Sirius was.

"Since the other night," Sirius confesses. Three heads shot up.

"And what exactly happened the other night?" James spat.

"Calm down, Prongs. She was just in a bad spot and I was the only one around so I comforted her a bit."

"What do you mean, a bad spot?" Remus asked.

"Well you know how Lily and Edward aren't, er, together anymore?" The three nodded. "You guys can't repeat this, because I don't think she wants it getting around." The three agreed, egging Sirius to get on with it. "Well, she caught him cheating on her with Marcy, that twit in Hufflepuff. Then he dumped her, right there!"

"Oh, that," Remus relaxed.

"You knew too?" James asked, staring down his friend.

"I was sort of there."

"What-"

"We were on patrol, me and Lily. We walked into the trophy room to make sure no one was, well, doing what they were doing in there. When Lily saw them… her mouth fell open and she just kind of stood there, making little gasping noises. Then the creep unattached his face from Marcy's and started telling Lily that it was no big deal. He dumped her, right there."

"He did _it _in front of you? Right there and all?" James was outraged.

"'Fraid so," Remus sighed.

"Hey Sirius," James asked his friend.

"Mate?"

"Don't let me kill him, okay?" James pleaded, staring daggers at the Hufflepuff across the room.

"Why the heavens not?"

"Because now's not a good time to get expelled… Lily's just starting to warm up," he smiled. Sirius scoffed, shoving his best friend, but James only smiled more. "She called me her mate," he daydreamed.

oooooooo

Lily soon realized that she was falling for James Potter. Sure, he had always been there, but anything between them would have been his pipe dream. Now he had changed, though. It had taken him six and a half years, for now it was nearly Christmas of their sixth year, but James had finally grown up. Lily also took pleasure that she could also snicker with her friends about just how dreamy the Marauders were, seeing how she didn't hate them anymore.

Everyone knew that something was going to happen between James and Lily. It was the talk of the school. Even the first years were getting in on when the two would finally get together, and they had missed the last five years. Lily refused to admit it, and James could not possibly deny it. In her heart of hearts, Lily knew it. She was falling for James Potter. _The _James Potter.

She was the envy of all the girls in their grade, the three below it, and part of the one above. Lily Evans had a thing for James, and James was in love with her back. Even better, now he could show it, all the time, and she wouldn't hit him… only blush. Lily couldn't change classes without finding some new, beautiful flower or trinket in her books, and everytime, _everytime, _she returned to Gryffindor Tower there was something waiting for her. It was always something small: a flower, a perfect leaf, a heart shaped eraser found on the floor, a chocolate chip muffin from breakfast, a peace of paper carefully folded into a book mark.

But it wasn't just the gifts and the constant _Thinking of You's _that got Lily. James had gone from an arrogant, cocky troublemaker to a shy, almost bashful, potential boyfriend. Ironically, as soon as James found out that Lily was taking him seriously, he wasn't half as sure as himself. Lily found him enchanting.

oooooooo

"Lily flower," he called, trudging through the snow.

"Oh, it's you," she rolled her eyes in mock disappointment. "I was thinking that dark hair would be Sirius. You know, a real stud."

"You get lovelier everyday," he shot back sarcastically. "Aren't you freezing and soaked?" Lily was laying on her back in the snow, as it fell all over her, covering her body with flakes.

"Simple charm," she replied, pointing her wand at him and muttering some words, "I don't get wet. And I am quite warm, thank you."

"I'll take that as invitation to join you." He lay down, and it wasn't long before he was huddled close to her, for warmth, of course. "I take it you like snow."

"I love snow," she sighed. "When I was little, my mum always wanted me and my sister to stay inside, not to get sick. Petunia was content watching the windows freeze and the streets ice, but, well, you know me. I would wake up early, extremely early, and sneak outside to play in the snow. Don't you love snow?" she propped herself on her elbow, turning to face him.

"I think it's terribly romantic."

"Shut up," she laughed, letting her head fall on his shoulder.

"So Lily, I was talking with some first years-"

"As if you would give any first years the time of day," she laughed.

"Yes, well, you're right, but my story is better with them in it. As I was saying before, I was talking to some first years, and they wanted to know when you're going to let me kiss you."

"Well, that's funny, because I was talking to some second years, much more right in the head they are, and they wanted to know when you were going to ask me out on a proper date."

"Lily…. Are you saying that…" James trailed off, moving so that he could look Lily in the eye.

"You're not going to make _me_ ask _you _out, are you?" she murmured, smiling slightly. "I'd have thought you picked up that I was more of a classy girl."

"How about I kiss you?"

"That'll wo-" he cut her off, first with one small kiss, then with more long ones.

"You're not going to make me say the line, are you?" he begged her, twirling a strand of hair in his fingers.

"Please do," she asked.

James stood up, taking Lily with him, and held her lose to him. "Lily, go with me?"

"Go where?" she smiled, rocking side to side in his arms.

"Everywhere," he clarified, twirling them around. "I want you and me to go everywhere."

oooooooo

It wasn't until it was time to leave Hogwarts that summer that Lily realized how hard she had fallen for James. She knew she cared about him, she knew she liked him, but she never in a million years dreamed of loving him. She looked back on the days of Edgar Bones and wanted to slap herself for the embarrassment. She thought of the tears she cried and that night Sirius had comforted her and wanted to laugh. Because, compared to James, what she had felt for Edgar had been a stomach virus, no, a cramp. Because what she felt for James was unimaginable, unexplainable. She knew that if this wasn't love, then nothing was.

She was comfortable with him, and she was safe with him. She would happily sit with him for hours on end while he discussed quidditch with somebody or while they watched Remus and Sirius play chess. She loved the way it felt when had her knees pulled to her chest and her whole body was leaning against his chest. She loved the way he casually grabbed her leg, holding her to him. She loved the way his shirt smelled. She loved the way he smelled.

And the hair, the hair that she had once hated for being the most arrogant head of hair in the world, well now she couldn't stop touching that hair. Whether they be kissing or just hanging out with their friends, Lily found herself snaking her hands around his shoulders, and now, Lily was the one driving James mad.

oooooooo

Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were the only ones in the Gryffindor common room. See, it was nearly four o'clock in the morning, but the five had decided that it was their last night at Hogwarts for a whole three months and there was no way they were going to waste it sleeping. But right now, the five were worn out, lounging in the common room talking in deep, tired voices.

"I would consider sixth year a success," James announced.

"You would, Prongs," Remus laughed, gesturing towards the girl on his lap.

"You better," Lily whispered, pulling her legs to her body and resting her body against his chest.

"It was fun, wasn't it?" Sirius sighed with a starry look in his eyes.

"I can't believe we're going to be in seventh year," Peter daydreamed.

"Yeah," Lily sighed. "In a year's time, we'll be sitting here reminiscing about our time at Hogwarts, worrying about our lives."

"And by us, you mean you and Moony, right?" Sirius asked.

"I resent that," Remus protested. "I am entirely worry free. I have my whole future planned out, I'll have you know."

"Tell us about it mate," James demanded, hugging Lily closer to him.

"Well, uh," he stumbled. "I intend to leave Hogwarts, stop you fools from getting me killed, get rich, and live a respectable life for many years to come."

"Boo," Sirius protested, throwing a pillow at his friend. "You're plan stinks."

"Well, do tell us yours," Remus defended.

"Gladly. I plan to become and auror, rub my dear mum's face in it, beat the living shit out of Voldemort, get rich, make hundreds of women fall in love with me, and continue on with this trouble making routine we've got here until the day I die."

"You're plan does suck, Moony," James agreed.

"Hey, be nice to Remus," lily cried. "If it wasn't for him we might not be together now."

"I thought you got together with him, because of what I said that night?" Sirius asked.

"Well I never would have talked to you if I still thought all the Marauders sucked," Lily raved.

"Wait a minute," James stopped the bickering. "I thought we were together because of me."

"Aw, you're cute," Lily cooed, placing a soft kiss on James's jaw bone. "But terribly wrong."

"Yeah, mate," Sirius laughed, "how clueless could you be? Lily's really only with you because I'm allowing her to shag me on the side."

"You wish, Black," Lily snorted. "That would actually be on the 'reasons not to go out with James' list."

"Oh you just wait, Evans," Sirius smiles maniacally, "you'll fall for my charm."

"Well then," James changed the subject, "to continue on with our night of pillaging, me and Lily are going to step outside to the quidditch pitch."

"Going to play a little quidditch, Lily?" Peter asked.

"Yes, that's exactly what we'll be doing," James assured the three still sitting. "We'll be back in a bit."

"Don't fall asleep," Lily commanded in sing-song voice as James pulled her out of the portrait hole.

"Where are we really going?" Lily asked, pulling James's strong arm around her shoulders.

"Somewhere terribly romantic, love," James replied, pulling her closer.

"Not the quidditch pitch?" she pouted.

"There's no where more romantic than the quidditch pitch on Hogwarts grounds." Lily looked at him skeptically. "You'll see," he assured her.

But when Lily followed James onto the pitch that early morning, she wanted to gasp. James had been right, it was terribly romantic. Everything looked different though she knew it was the same. Walking onto the pitch, surrounded by the towering stands in and of itself was overwhelming, not to mention the stars were wonderful. The fields looked so much larger than it had ever looked from the stands, and it felt as if she and James were the only people around for miles. Ultimately, she felt safe. She felt as if it were just her and James here and nothing bad could possibly happen.

"Wow," she breathed, looking up.

"Told you," James whispered, nudging her. She leaned back on him, settling the top of her head into his neck, and he clasped his hands around her stomach, supporting her.

"It's so wonderful out," she sighed, closing her eyes. She inhaled deeply, feeling the cool, damp early morning air all the way down her throat. It was refreshing and a sharp contrast to the stale, warm air of the castle. After a while she turned around to be facing James and laid her hands and he head on his chest, humming quietly. "I don't know how you guys do it," she yawned, looking up at him with tired doe eyes. "I'm exhausted."

"In your defense, we've been doing this for years now," he looked down at her. "You just started."

They slipped into silence again.

"Lily," James spoke quietly.

"Mmm?"

"I want you to know- I think you ought to know…. See, I was raised to tell people, when it's true that…. Lily, I love you. I've been loving you for quite a long time now, even before you agreed to go out with me, even before we were friends. And my mum always told me that you should tell the people you love that you love them because you don't know what the end of the day will be like," James rambled, not looking down to see Lily's reaction. "Especially in time like these…. And, and you don't have to say it back. I mean, I don't expect you to. In fact, don't. Say if you ever feel it." James held his breath, not realizing, waiting for her to speak.

She stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to reach his face, and gave him a gentle kiss, her lips stretched into a smile. "James, but I know," she murmured, in between kisses.

"You do? How's that?" He was smiling now too.

"Well I used to think that I was just a hobby of yours. But I learned otherwise. You know, Sirius told me," she laughed slightly. "But don't tell him I said that; I don't want him to be in trouble."

"Sirius told you?"

"Last year, after me an Edgar weren't together anymore," she explained, cheerful now and suddenly less tired.

"Sirius told you that I loved you?" he asked, befuddled.

"Well, he told me that you'd convinced yourself that you're in love with me," she explained, resting her head once again on his chest.

"So you knew," James demanded, lightheartedly, "and you let me get all flustered?"

"You were cute," she laughed, inhaling his scent, "and terribly romantic. And you know what else?"

"What?" he played along, resting his hands in her hair.

She pulled away from him and rested her hands on the back of his neck, being far away enough to look him in the eye. "I really, really like you a lot. And you treat me well. And you love me. And I love that you love me. And you are an incredible boyfriend, and one day, I think, one day I'll love you." James smiled. "I'm afraid I've fallen for you James Potter. I've fallen harder than I ever thought I could fall."

oooooooo

It wasn't until James and Sirius, practically twin brothers during the summer, showed up at her doorstep, to rescue her from the clutches of Petunia that Lily had realized that she did indeed love James. It turns out that her father had been called to America, New York City, for a terribly important business deal, and her Mother would not allow him to go alone. Lily's mother had told her that between the two of her children, a twenty-one year old Petunia, engaged to be married, and a nearly seventeen year old Lily, they could take care of themselves for three months.

To Lily, a simple promise to her mother that she would get on fine with Petunia, and actually getting on fine with Petunia were two very different things. But the Evans had promised their daughter a letter upon her return to Hogwarts and insisted that she have a lovely summer and write a very long letter about it to them in response. She had kissed her parents goodbye and retreated to her room.

Three weeks into the summer, she was downright miserable. At sixteen, she was allowed to do magic, but it was frowned upon to cause any physical harm to someone, especially a muggle family member. Lily didn't even have an owl, so letters to her world were cut off. But then James came to rescue her.

oooooooo

It wasn't late in the day when the doorbell rang. In fact, it was nearly lunch or just after, and Lily had been trying to tear herself from her book to go downstairs to the kitchen to make a sandwich. When the doorbell rang, she had lost all focus, and figured that now was as a good a time as ever. As she opened the door, she heard tidbits of a strange conversation.

"We just want to see her," said once voice.

"She's not allowed visitors," her sister said, then in a fake sweet voice, "_I_ can assist you, however. Surely whatever she can do for you, I can do as well."

"What do you mean, she's not _allowed _visitors?" Once voice asked, beginning to get angry. "And who might you be? Her nurse?" he spat.

"Calm down, mate," the first voice said, then to her sister, "Look, we don't want _you_ we want her."

"Honestly," the angry one said, a hint of laughter hidden in his voice, "if you really must know, we've come to rescue her from a wench called Petunia. You don't know the old hag, do you?"

Lily held back a laugh, now just hidden around the corner, listening to the conversation.

"Well, I see that you think you are funny," Petunia was fuming. "But I'll tell you that I don't appreciate what you call humor. I want you to vacate the premises immediately."

"Vacate the Premises," Sirius mocked, "Who in bloody hell do you think you are?" he chuckled.

"Lily?" James called, taking Sirius's outburst as a good time to push into the house.

A squeal was heard from somewhere inside the house, and Petunia turned in shock. Could _that_ be her sister?

"I love you, I love you, I love you!" Lily sang, running at James. She jumped up and he caught her, spinning her around and kissing her like he hadn't seen her in years.

"Oh, you're freaks," Petunia, spat, turning to Sirius. "I should have figured my sister would never have any decent friends."

"Mind if I poke around a bit? This makes me a bit reminiscent of muggle studies, fourth year." Sirius asked, ignoring Petunia. Lily nodded, but kept her eyes focused on James.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, staring into his eyes.

"We've come to rescue you, love. My mum is preparing you a room in the same hall as mine and Sirius's are as we speak. Oh don't worry," James assured her at her concerned face. "You won't be a bother. It's quite a large house; my parents are quite influential, believe it or not."

"You used the doorbell and everything," Lily laughed. "Just for me."

"Well we didn't want to scare your freaky sister," James looked toward the fireplace. "I see flu was out of the question."

"Yeah," she muttered, looking towards Sirius. "Can you guys help me get my things…. I didn't exactly know you were coming."

Moments later, the three had packed Lily's trunk, shrunken it, and were out the door, all without one objection by Petunia. "There's a park over there we can disapparate from," Lily informed them, walking down the street.

"You're sister is quite charming," Sirius stated, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"She actually though you two were quite the lookers," Lily laughed, skipping a bit.

"How could you tell?" James frowned.

"She was being pleasant, and whenever she talked to you she used a sugary voice."

"Lovely girl," Sirius repeated, walking a ways into the woods then disappearing. James quickly gave Lily the information needed to get to his house, kissed her, and then disappeared himself. In only a few seconds, Lily was gone too.

Moments later, when Lily reappeared in what appeared to be rather nice large house, she was surprised to find neither James nor Sirius around. For a moment, she wondered if they had been playing a trick on her or is she had imagined the whole thing. She decided to take a look around. The ceilings were high in this room, which appeared to be a foyer of some kind. On the ceiling hung a shiny silver chandelier with floating blue flames. The floors were deep mahogany paneling, shiny and smooth with polish and decades of use. Lily was just wandering into the next room, with a burgundy rug on the floor ands some chairs, it appeared to be a living room, when a petite house elf appeared, startling her.

"Hullo, miss," it croaked. "May Denie help you?"

"Well, I'm looking for someone," Lily explained.

"Denie can find them. Tell Denie who they are. Denie can tell you if they are here."

"Well, James and Sirius… are they here?" Lily asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Oh! Mr. Black and young Master Potter. Of course they are here. But where else would they be? They just returned, ma'am. They apparated into the side-yard, ma'am. Should I retrieve them for you? Would you like me to alert to them of your presence?" the house elf went on, eager to please.

"Well… if you could just point me in the direction, I could do it myself…" Lily trailed off. The house of complied, leading Lily out of a glass door and into a garden, then disappeared with a poof.

"Lillian, old girl, what took you so long?" Sirius rushed her in good sprits, greeting her for the first time.

"I couldn't have been more than three seconds behind James!" she answered, laughing.

"That's what I said, but he had already begun causing trouble when I got here." James smiled at Lily, leading her over to where they had previously stood. "I had to assist him, of course."

A different house elf reappeared, making it's presence known to the three with an announcement. "Forgive me, sir," she began, addressing James, "but you're mother expressed and interest in your return and would like you and your friends to meet her in the kitchen.

"Dinner already?" Sirius called, starting towards the house.

"It was lunch but half and hour ago when we left, mate," James laughed, pulling Lily with them.

Lily had initially feared that James's mother would be some stuffy woman, what with a large house and upstanding family. She had assumed that she would be a rather cold parent. Therefore, you can imagine Lily's shock when she walked into the kitchen, next to James, and James's mother embraced her with a motherly hug. "Oh dear," she had said, "I'm sorry that you won't be able to see your parents this summer. I know you must miss them during the school year. I hope that you will stay with us, though. Sirius and James told me that you don't get along very well with your sister." Lily had nodded, confirming the information. Then Mrs. Potter had assured Lily that her staying there would be no bother, and that the house elves would just love making one more bed.

That night, they had all eaten dinner at the small table around the kitchen, not the large dining room (which was apparently saved for special occasions only). Not long after, the adults had gone to bed, but the three teenagers had stayed up, lounging around the living room.

"So you're here all the time?" Lily asked Sirius incredulously.

"He lives here," James answered.

"Finally ran away Christmas of fifth year," Sirius shuddered. "Couldn't imagine being there right now."

"They couldn't be that bad," Lily joked. "What'd they beat you?"

Sirius didn't answer. Lily, slightly embarrassed, let it go. Not long after, Sirius excused himself, slouching up the stairs to his room.

"Lily, you know Voldemort, right?" James asked, answering Lily's question.

"Yeah," she answered quietly.

"Well then you know not all wizards are good," James went on. "Well, you know he has quite a few supporters, in order to be that powerful."

"He must," she agreed. "I've never really thought about that."

"Well Sirius's family, there big supporters of Voldemort. Every single one of them was in Slytherin- well except his cousin Andromeda, she graduated a few years back, Ravenclaw. They're not good people, Lily. His mother was one of Voldemort's 'friends' back in school. He's the first one ever to be in Gryffindor," James went on, quietly. "They _hate_ him Lily. They treated him terribly. I wouldn't be surprised if they had beaten him."

Lily looked away, embaressed, "I didn't know…"

"How could you have?"

"Do you think he's still up?" He nodded, understanding. Lily got up, following Sirius steps upstairs, knocking on the first door.

"Hmmm?" a voice drawled, lazily.

"Can I come in?" Lily asked.

"Mmhmm," the voice mumbled. She opened the door, poking her head in.

"Hey."

"Hey," he replied, nodding for her to come in. She did so, closing the door behind her. She sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the door. Sirius lay on his bed, hands behind his head, facing the ceiling.

"Why'd you come up?" she asked, feeling awkward.

"Got tired," he mumbled.

"Hey, listen…I'm really sorry," Lily blurted, feeling stupid for coming up.

"For what?" he asked. She didn't answer, but stared at him intently. After a while, he gave in. "You didn't know," he mumbled quietly. "You didn't say it on purpose."

"I should have known," she berated herself. "It was a rude question, even if I was joking. I shouldn't have asked."

"Forget it."

"James told me," Lily offered, still staring at him.

"Figured as much."

"I'm so sorry, Sirius," she whispered again.

He finally turned to her, smirking. "When I was in first year, and I got sorted into Gryffindor, everyone was surprised, you know. I think even Dumbledore was shocked. I mean, I always thought that the things my mum talked about were a little wrong, but I hadn't had much exposure to anything besides what she thought. I was a little ashamed, like I was forsaking the family name. Later, after I had talked to people, it didn't take me long to realize that what my family believed was all wrong. I mean, some families that she said were scum really had some good people, and some people that were of mixed blood or muggle born were really amazing people." Sirius paused, considering. "Then when my mum finally found out I was in Gryffindor- thanks to good old Bellatrix- she sent me howler. A howler! As if I could control what house I get sorted into. But it didn't matter, because by then I had already seen the faults in what she told me. Part of me wanted to run into my dorm and cry and the other part wanted to fly home and hit her, just to make her pay for all those years of lies. That summer after first year," he went on, "that was the worst. My mum treated me terribly, she tried everything imaginable- terrible things- to make me see it her way, but I couldn't betray my friends. Then Regulus went to Hogwarts, and I had some hope for him. After all, if I had gotten out, he could too, but he didn't. He's in Slytherin, you know. Bloody fool. His greatest aspiration is to be a Death Eater, and he's only fifteen. Damn him."

"Well it seems to me that you're a pretty good person anyway," Lily smiled, somewhat worried at this unseen side of Sirius.

"You're only saying that because you fancy my best mate," Sirius joked.

"You're sweet," she repeated, getting to her feet. "Well I think I'll go see if James is stay up. Are you going to stay up here?" He nodded. "Well I do hope you know that I really didn't mean a thing by it."

"I know," he assured her.

oooooooo

Lily, James, and Sirius spent the whole summer together, nearly every waking moment. They had mini adventures, and being with two of the Marauders for so long had made Lily impulsive and adventurous, some might even say mischievous. They wandered off into the woods one day and didn't come back until sunup two days later. Lily had been teaching the two how to camp.

By the end of the summer, or near to it, Lily was almost regretful that she had to go back. Summer with James had been carefree, spontaneous, and utterly romantic (in the traditional sense of the word). It was everything that an adventure was supposed to be.

One weekend, near the end of the summer, Sirius attended his obligatory family visit. It made Mrs. Potter happy, and Sirius obliged her in return for her allowing him to live there. She seemed to believe that, as a mother, Mrs. Black did indeed love her son somewhere deep down. Sirius bitterly denied it for days, but went in the end. That Friday also happened to be James's parents anniversary, and to commemorate they had taken a long weekend off to Romania.

They were both seventeen now, Lily and James. Lily had made seventeen in late June, and James had been seventeen since January. It was chilly that Saturday, and lily, being much better at charms than James was, had conjured a fire in the garden, and two were sitting by it, Lily teaching James how to make s'mores.

oooooooo

"Lily," James started, breaking a long silence. He didn't look at her, but remained concentrated on getting a marshmallow off of the stick onto the cracker. "At the beginning of the summer… when Sirius and I went to your house…"

"Mmhhmm?" Lily urged him on, curled up in a warm ball next to him, a blanket around her. She hadn't a clue as to what he was getting at.

"You said… I mean, you sort of called out that, well, you loved me. I've been thinking about it, and, I mean…I don't want to take it the wrong way…"

Lily honestly didn't know what to say. Truth be told, she had forgotten all about it, and hadn't even noticed she said it. "I did," she repeated, thinking. "It wasn't a big deal to me. I must have just known it, subconsciously." James was silent, not being completely comfortable with asking her about it. "So yes, well no, you wouldn't be taking it the wrong way. Because I love you and I've loved you."

"So," James began again, now not very focused on his marshmallow at all. "I love you, and you love me. And you let me kiss you whenever I please." He smiled.

She nodded, smiling also, and opened her blanket for him to get under also. James appeased her, scooting close to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder and in return she kissed his temple, closing her eyes.

"This was definitely the best summer I've ever had," Lily proclaimed, nodding.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhm!" she nodded.

"Glad to hear that."

oooooooo

Once they went back to Hogwarts, things had been nice for a few weeks. Simple. Lily and James spent hours on end together, and the school hadn't seen a decent prank since the start of term. The two were surrounded in bliss, almost to a sickening level. They ate together, studied together, played together. If Sirius and Remus didn't love Lily so much, they would have absolutely hated her.

Then things began to grow bad. Bad news came for Lily, news that devastates her, and try as he might, James couldn't comfort her. No one could. The bliss had suddenly been stifled, and in its place, a painful void was left.

oooooooo

Lily had gotten the mail that day at lunch like everyone else at school. She eagerly awaited the letter from her parents, and wondered where they were everyday. She felt somewhat guilty for having had forgotten about them over the summer, but knew that they would understand.

That day, in the mail Lily had found a catalog from a new store in Diagon Alley and a letter from her sister. This surprised her; she usually didn't get much mail seeing her whole wizarding world was right there with her. She shoved the mail into her bag, not bothering to open the letter from her sister, and fled to potions.

But that night, in the safety of her warm bed, Lily had pulled the letter off of her nightstand. It was late then, already near eleven, and most people were sleeping. She opened the letter and read it. The earth stood still and she didn't know what to do. Part of her wanted to laugh and the other part of her wanted to scream. So she broke down crying.

The plane had gone down somewhere over the Atlantic, or ate least that's where the air traffic controls had last seen it. But one thing was for sure, no one had heard from anyone on the plane since.

Lily didn't want to wake the three other girls, so she made her way to the common room. She sat down on the couch, feeling awkward as her tears came more steadily now. She looked down, realizing she still held the letter, and scanned it again, searching for some horrid mistake. Perhaps she was not the true recipient, and there was some other miserable individual destined for this letter. But alas, it was intended not other than a Mrs. Petunia and Mrs. Lily Evans.

And next thing she knew, Lily was standing in the doorway of the Marauder's dorm room, trying her best to silence her sobs, but failing miserably. One shape stirred, and Sirius sat up.

"Ay, Lily, what are you-" he began, stopping abruptly when he saw her face. He picked something up off his nightstand and threw at the next bed. "Oi, Prongs, wake up."

"Wha? Serus, what in hell?" he questioned sleepily, groping for his glasses. He sat up, seeing Lily in focus, and immediately wasn't sleepy anymore. "Lily, what's wrong?" He made his way towards her, holding his arms out to her.

She fell into him, allowing herself to become completely enveloped in her arms. She couldn't hold back anymore, the sobs were coming out faster now and louder. Sirius crawled back into his bed, shoving the curtains closed any casting a quick silencing charm. James, allowing Lily to lean on him, did the same, laying her in his bed next him.

"Lily," he looked at her, begging her, "Lily what happened. Tell me, please."

"It's my…. They…. Petunia and I…. Oh God," she cried, shaking violently. "Oh God, what will I do? What's going to happen. I don't know how to do anything."

"You don't have to Lily…"

She broke down again, and all James could do was hold her tightly, so tightly he feared her would hurt her, but she wasn't shaking anymore. "Just tell me, love," he begged her, nearly crying himself. "Tell me, you can tell me."

But the truth was that she couldn't. Even is she tried, and as much as she wanted to give him every part of her soul, she couldn't. She couldn't push the words out of her lungs, She couldn't even develop them in her head. So she rolled to her side, revealing a crumpled piece of paper to him and nodding. He took it, opening it up.

Lily closed her eyes, breathing slowly. She didn't want to watch. She didn't want to watch James read the worst news of her life. She didn't want to watch his face fill with sorrow and pity for her. She didn't want to see him look at her after finding out.

And luckily for her, she didn't have to. He didn't ask her to open her eyes or to talk to him. He didn't ask her any questions, and he didn't want to comfort her or console her. He didn't tell her any lies. He just rolled over and hugged her, holding her tight and allowing him to soak his shirt.

"I love you," he kept repeating. "I love you. You can get through this. I love you…"

She cried late until the night, as it was already midnight, and she probably drifted off to sleep sometime around four in the morning. She felt empty and sore. And more tired than she had ever felt in her life. She felt dried up and as if she could never move again.

She knew James was awake. She knew he was awake as she fell asleep. His hand kept moving, smoothing her hand down and making calming noise. Every now and then he would kiss her hair and then he would just hold her. It sounded silly to her, but in that moment, feeling dry and raw and hurt, she felt warm and safe and content, in the boys' dormitory wrapped in James's sheets and James's arms. She felt like she would be safe for the rest of her life from any pain. She felt like, though he didn't say it, everything would be okay. He would make sure everything would be okay.

In the morning, she woke up to a note and an apple muffin, her favorite, with a warm cup of tea.

_Had to go to class, I couldn't miss Potions today, but I'll be back as soon as I can, near lunch most likely. I talked to Dumbledore before breakfast, and he's excused from classes for the day, but he wants to talk to you as soon as you feel better. I didn't tell Alice, she was worried about you when you weren't there this morning, but she'll be looking for you. Feel free to stay where you are. Please eat, even if you don't feel well, it will work wonders for you. I love you._

_James_

_PS. I've told Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail to leave you alone, but as it is their room, they might be dropping in._

Lily ate, even though she wasn't hungry, and James was right, she did feel much better. Checking the time, and confident that just about everyone was in class, she slowly opened the door, the cold stone floors sending shivers from her bare feet up to her arms. Seeing no one, she quickly walked across the hallway down connected the girls' and boys' dormitories, and walked into her own. She brushed her hair, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and changed clothes, pulling on a comfy pair of jeans and an oversized jumper.

oooooooo

But Lily had healed. Her friends had helped her, and, in time, she had healed. And by the time she was through, she was a better person for it. She knew of pain, and nightmares, and strength. She knew of love and family. She knew of heartbreak.

And now she held James closer than ever. He was the person she loved most in the world. And when they were with their friends, she held his hand. And when he held her, she pushed herself so close to his chest that she feared she would suffocate him. And when they kissed, she was filled with passion and fervor and nothing but utmost love. And when they were apart, she longed to see him, make sure he was still hers. And when they fought, she was in agony.

And when someone her friend held dear was taken from them, she understood. And when no one else could comfort him, not even his best mate, she could

oooooooo

"Eighteen!" Sirius yelled, slamming his fist into he wall "Damn it Prongs, eighteen."

"I'm sorry mate," James whispered, staring at the table in front of him.

"I tried to show him. I thought I could show him," Sirius crumbled into a chair, rubbing his face with his hands. "I thought there was still time left for him."

"You didn't know. You didn't know he had actually joined," James assured his friend.

"I should have given up seven years ago when he went into Slytherin," Sirius muttered, bitterly.

"It's not your fault."

"It's just- I always…. I never gave up on him." Sirius paused. "Why didn't I ever give up on him, damn it?"

"Because you're a good person," a voice came from the doorway.

"I didn't know you were here," Sirius murmured, not meeting her eyes. "So you know then?"

"Remus told me." Sirius nodded. "I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't care," he stated, defiant. "I _don't _care." Lily looked to James, who understood, and soon vacated the kitchen, leaving them alone.

"You care. You should care."

"I don't want to," he whined, closing his eyes. "I don't like him."

"He was your brother," Lily soothed, "and no matter what, if Petunia died I'd be devastated."

"Yes, but did Petunia ever run off and join the fucking murderers?" Sirius spat at her.

"He died a hero," Lily assured him.

"Yeah, ask my mum."

"He tried to get out, didn't he? He fought against it, didn't he?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, well he wouldn't have been in that predicament if he hadn't of gotten himself there," Sirius consented, disappointed.

"When the funeral?" Lily asked, putting it all aside.

Sirius wanted to burst out laughing. "I'm not going."

"You're going. If you're this upset about it, you're going."

"I'm not upset," he declared, standing, "and I'm not going. What do I have to be upset about. I hate them all anyway."

"Sirius," Lily whispered, also standing, touching his shoulder. When he turned around, she saw the pain on his face, a pain that he hadn't shown with James or moments before. She wrapped her arms around him, even though he was larger than her. "Don't do that," she whispered, "I know how it feels. I know how _you _feel."

"I know you do," he choked.

"I'll go with you. We'll go. We won't tell the others," she offered, feeling him nod.

He pulled away from her, slightly embarrassed. "He was supposed to have time, Lils. I was supposed to be able to help him. I was going to show him. He was a prat the whole time we were in school, but once he got out, I thought, once he wasn't in Slytherin, I could show him. I could convince him…"

"It wasn't meant to be…. Everything happens for a reason," Lily offered.

"So you, uh… you're saying you want to go to this funeral with me," Sirius stumbled, rubbing his neck.

"I want to be there for you," Lily said slowly, knowing what he was after. "And if that means going to the funeral, then yes. I want you to go to the funeral with me."

"Anything for you."

The next day, Lily and Sirius apparated to a clearing not far from a graveyard nearby. He was pale with a grim expression set in his face. Lily knew it wasn't because they were heading to a funeral. It was something more. He walked with his hands in his coat pockets, pulling his coat close around him to keep the crisp November air out. Lily smiled at him, wrapping her arm around the crook of his, and squeezing it reassuringly. "I can't believe I'm here," he murmured, his eyes gazing towards the group of people dressed in Black… his family.

"It'll be fine. You're not here for them. You're here for Regulus. You're little brother."

"I'm going to have to talk to them," he sighed.

"No you won't," she lied.

"Yes I will," he smiled down at her.

"Well, you don't have to be nice," she smirked.

"Oh look, my dear mum's spotted me," he spat, nodding in the direction of a skinny, regal woman.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, coldly, as if greeting a stranger, or even a slight enemy.

"My brother's dead," he replied.

"You didn't care for him," she spat.

"Don't, mother," he replied coolly, meeting her gaze. Sirius grew stiff, and Lily let go of him, standing up straight.

"And who's your friend?" she asked, her voice a twinge condescending and very cold.

"This is Lily," he replied. "from Hogwarts."

Lily offered her hand, but Ms. Black ignored it. "Oh, one of your Gryffindor friends."

"Yes," Sirius answered, a grin sneaking on to his face.

"You think it's funny?" the woman spat, glaring daggers at him. "You enjoy being the family disgrace?" She glared at Lily. "What are you sleeping with him?"

Lily opened her mouth to speak, but Sirius responded first. "Stop it."

"Oh, strike a nerve did I?" She turned towards Lily again, looking her up and down. "Pretty little thing. Bet she's a mudblood, too. You'd do it just to spite us."

Sirius opened his mouth, now plainly pissed, but Lily spoke first. "Yes, I am," Lily declared, surprising the older woman, "as in, my parents are muggles. And I couldn't be prouder of the fact, because right now, I'm beginning to see what amazing parents they are."

"What are you insinuating? You think I'm a bad mother. Like you know," she challenged.

"Look around Ms. Black," she dared, "look at your sons. One hates you, his own mother. And frankly, I don't blame him. And the other is dead. Oh yes, you're fabulous mother. I can see the strong family bonds now."

"Why you little Mudblood. I could get you in quite a bit of trouble-"

"And for your information, no I'm not sleeping with your son. But I must say, if I wasn't in love with someone else, I might as well be, because he has a good soul, clearly no thanks to you, and cares for other people," Lily paused, laughing quietly. "And frankly, I'm beginning to wonder how he ever grew up under your foot."

"Oh you'd be surprised what he grew up with," she let out a cold laugh.

"Stop it, mother," Sirius silenced her. "Regulus may be the best son you had, but I don't care. It doesn't matter because he's dead, and you killed him," Sirius nodded. "He's dead because of you. He could be alive right now. He's dead. He was eighteen, and he's dead. You must be so proud," he finished, hate in his eyes, a look Lily had never seen on him. "I bet to you he's a hero."

"I would never kill my own flesh and blood," she stated, disgusted by the idea. "Some of us have family loyalty."

"What happened to Andromeda's father?" Sirius asked, a glint in his eyes.

"Goodbye Sirius," she replied, turning on her heel and heading away from the services.

"Bitch," he muttered, coldness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Sirius," Lily called as he stalked off toward the procession. "I shouldn't have encouraged you to come."

"What are you sorry about?" he asked, his tone still harsh. She struggled to keep up with him. "You're here to help me and my mother calls you a tramp and a mudblood."

"Well me sleeping with you wouldn't make me a tramp," she laughed. "You're a good person."

"This is ridiculous," he cried out, seeing the coffin in the hole. "there isn't even a body. They couldn't find a body. They could not find the fucking body." And in that moment, the proud Sirius Black that Lily had known so well, the cocky, arrogant Marauder looked more defeated than anyone had ever looked, and her heart broke in two.

"I'm so sorry, Sirius," she cried, tears slipping down her face. "I'm so sorry.

"Why aren't they crying?" she looked around at the people. "They're perfect heir is dead and they're not crying? Don't they feel?" she yelled.

"Crying is weak," he whispered, and Lily saw that Sirius eyes were dampening.

"But don't they care about him? Don't they love him?"

"I doubt they believe in love," he answered. Lily found it strange that Sirius referred to his own family as strangers, one mass of people.

"How can you come from this?" she whispered, looking up at her friend with a wet face. "How can you be like you and come from this. How can someone so full of live come from this?"

"I dunno," he mumbled, holding onto her arm. "I'm lucky."

"You're strong," she disagreed.

"Does James know?" Lily asked. He shook his head, turning away from the scene.

"He's never met them. I don't want him too. I don't want anything to change."

The two apparated back to a park near James and Sirius's apartment. They opted for a short walk home. "Sirius?" Lily addressed him, breaking the long silence. "I think you should know… I mean, of course James would never say, but I would, and I know… we care about you Sirius. And by that I mean, we care about _you, Sirius. _And James adores you, you're his brother. And I adore you, because you're my brother. And Remus and Peter adore you. And nothing's going to change that. I just think you should know, because I doubt that that's the sort of thing that guys talk about when they're together."

"It's not," Sirius shook his head, rounding the corner. "But I know."

"And we assume that you adore us," she smiled.

"I do." He became flushed, not being the emotional type, but not willing to deny Lily and not being able to back out of the conversation. "You know that, right?"

"We know. After so many years… it's just understood." He nodded, agreeing. "I remember when you told me the first time, though. You know, I didn't know before then."

"Somehow we expected you too."

"I just thought you were pesky boys intent on making me miserable. Well, except Remus, he was sweet, but cocky. All of you guys were cocky. You still are, I'll have you know," she laughed, lightening the mood.

"You know we worship _you_, right?" Sirius, joked.

"Shut up."

"You're like our little treasure," Sirius sang, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think part of James wants to keep you in a chest and make sure you stay perfect and shiny and the other part of him, well like every guy, wants to corrupt you, and by that, I mean shag you good and long."

She blushed at his crudity. "Well that, my friend, is none of your business."

"Someone's embarrassed," he shoved her. "My, my, Evans, what _have _you been doing…and with Potter, of all people."

"I didn't say I'd been doing anything. And no matter what I'm doing or not doing, it is none of your business."

"James is a lucky man," Sirius sang.

"Well maybe I'm not doing anything," she teased.

"Well then, James will one day be a lucky man." She nodded in agreement. "But right now, his luck is hitting a dry spot." This time she shoved him.

oooooooo

James lay on his side next to Lily in bed. He was tracing words onto her stomach, tickling her slightly, and every few seconds getting a soft giggle in reward.

"James?" she asked, running her hand through his hair.

"Love?" he replied, moving his face to kiss where his finger had just stopped forming a word somewhere near her belly button.

"Does Sirius know… about how, intimate, our relationship is?"

"Don't mention my best mate in the bedroom," he whined, trailing kissed across her stomach. "It will only make me crazy with jealousy. And then I'll have to claim you as mine," he looked up at her, grinning, "again."

"We talked about it once," she went on. "A while back…before."

"Oh, the dark days."

"Well, he thought it was funny," she went on.

"I suppose you want me then," he laughed, laying on top of her, "because you're leaving me no choice. I cannot have my girlfriend talking about my best friend in bed…. That came out wrong."

"I can just picture Sirius in bed," she laughed, successfully teasing James.

"Oh, now I'm really going to have to shag you," he murmured, the words slightly muffled by her skin.

"Just hold me," she pleaded, pulling his face up to look her in the eye, for he had begun to start with the kisses again. "And kiss me."

"Oh I see," he moped, complying. "You don't want me to shag you."

"Oh I never said," she breathed, blowing on his ear. "I'd just preferred if we laid down for a minute.

"You're so strong," she sighed, resting her chin on a well shaped arm.

"You like that do you?" he smiled cockily.

She nodded, blushing. "Makes me feel safe," Lily confessed, turning around in his arms so that their lips nearly touched. "I love you," she confessed, kissing his nose. "I love you." His cheek. "I love you." His forehead. "I love you." His temple.

"You," he groaned, his voice heavy, rolling on top of her again. "You are going to kill me one day." But she pushed him down, and sat up, straddling him.

"And your ear," she went on, leaning over to kiss it. "And your neck. And your shoulders. Your arms. Your chest. Your stomach…" She went on. But she didn't get much farther before he acted again, groaning once more and pulling her down to meet him, kissing her hard.

"When are you going to come live with me?" he asked, breaking their kiss and whispering raggedly into her ear.

"When we get married," she giggled, marriage the last thing on her mind.

"Come live with me," he demanded again, his voice even more husky.

"Alright," she conceded, a glint of laughter in her eyes. "When we get engaged."

oooooooo

But Lily hadn't thought of marriage that day. In fact, Lily had never thought of marriage.

oooooooo

"I'm in love with her, mate," James confessed the next afternoon. "I bloody need her."

"How sentimental," Sirius mocked, throwing James a butterbeer on his way back from the kitchen.

"I mean, I need to be with her all the time. I want her to be living here with me."

"Is this your nice way of telling me that you want me to move out?"

"Well once we get married-"

"Once? You act as if it's a definite thing. You haven't even asked her yet, mate!" Sirius let out a belly laugh, and James threw a pillow at him.

"It is, if I have anything to say about it," James murmured, looking sullen.

"You just want to have her here to shag whenever you like."

"Well, not that that wouldn't be a perk," James grinned at the thought, "but no. I just want to have her here. I like when she's around. Everything's better."

"You're disgusting, mate."

"What are we talking about?" Remus cut in, suddenly apparating into the couch next to Sirius. "James pillaging Lily again?"

"No," James sneered, growing frustrated at his friend's inability to have a serious conversation. "I love her."

"Yeah, he's in bloody love and is acting bloody sappy. I'm leaving, Moony you can take over," Sirius declared, stalking away, making the trio a duo.

"What an arse," James scoffed, shooing the finger in the direction Sirius had gone. "What is it that time of the month for him or something?"

"He doesn't want things to change," Remus explained, shifting to the spot on the couch Sirius had just vacated.

"Yeah well he should have known this would happen," James burst out, suddenly angry. "I mean, I've only been serious about her for four years now. This is no surprise."

"It still doesn't make it better, Prongs," he explained. "We've had these years planned out since third year. Now you've got this dead weight tying you down." Remus regretted his phrasing immediately.

"She's not dead weigh!" James yelled, now very angry. "How dare you call her that! She's you're friend, too."

"I'm sorry, you're right," he agreed, shaking his head. "I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what came over me." James knew he was sorry, and dropped it.

He rubbed his face with his hands, pulling them through his hair. "I'm going to marry her, Moony. I'm in love with her. I need her."

"So that's what he's upset about then?" Remus smiled, nodding in Sirius's direction. "He's going to have to move out."

"Well then he'll have to move out."

"He's your best mate," the man pointed out.

"She's the love of my life, Remus," James declared. "That's all there is to it."

oooooooo

"So Posh," Lily laughed, mocking James as he pulled her chair out for her.

"I wanted to make a gesture," he explained, ears turning red.

"No really," she said softly, reaching for his hand across the table, "this is utterly romantic. And perfect. Thank you." She looked out over the balcony they were seated at. James had taken her to a muggle restaurants on the outskirts of London. He knew they were her favorite. After all, she had grown up not knowing magic and her fantasies as a little girl weren't magic. He had acquired a private seating for them. "It's so beautiful," she whispered, looking out towards the sunset. It was April, quote warm, but cloudy and cool at the same time. The clouds glowed a pinky-orange and it looked so inviting and warm. It was really one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

"What's the occasion?" the young waiter asked, pouring champagne at James's request. "If you don't mind me asking, of course?" He watched the young couple; they were in love.

"I adore her," James declared, addressing the man as his friend. "Do I need any other reason? Isn't she lovely?"

"She is," he agreed, glancing at Lily, but knowing not to cross a line.

"I fought for her for nearly seven years," James informed him, taking pleasure in Lily's flush.

"I can see why."

"James, stop it," Lily laughed nervously, tilting her head forward and allowing her hair to conceal her pink face. James nodded to the fellow, who took his absence, leaving the two alone.

"What?" he asked, innocently. "Do I need an occasion to dote on my love?"

"Well someone's being very charming tonight," Lily eyed him suspiciously. "As much as I love it, you do know that I will shag you tonight nevertheless?"

He smirked, caressing her hand with his thumb and looking down shyly. "Oh Lily, you know I consider you better than that." They laughed.

After dinner, the two lingered behind, not quite ready to go. It was one of those instances where the waiter wanted them to leave and kept bugging them, but they stayed in their seats, sipping their last sips of wine.

"IS there anything else I could bring you?" the waiter asked, appearing for the ten thousandth's time. "I know you've already paid, but we could start a new tab…"

"Could you do me huge favor," James argued, closing his eyes in order to attempt patience. "could you go away and not come back for just twenty minutes. Give me twenty minutes." James was growing irritable.

"If you need anything-"

"We won't," James chorused, nodding for the man to go away.

"Sometimes you're so rude," Lily giggled, feigning disapproval. Even she had to admit the waiter was being annoying.

"Beautiful rose, Lily flower?" James asked, now looking very serious.

"Love," she responded, smiling.

"Love, exactly," he grinned, reassured. "Love, I love you so incredible much."

"I know."

"Exactly. You're good at this," he murmured. She had no idea as to what he was addressing, but allowed him to speak. He seemed to be getting himself awfully worked up. "See, I know…and you know. So we know…that, well, we're in love, aren't we?"

"I am," she smiled, blushing slightly. She'd said it a million times before, but never had she known he was putting so much thought into it.

"Sometimes," he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "we'll be doing something- just walking, or laying in bed, or studying, anything, like just now, during dinner- and I find myself overcome with a sense of happiness at the fact that I'm with you. Just the fact that you're mine and we're together. Just the fact that you let me touch you and feel your soft hair and kiss you and you give me the time of day and care about what I think. And, Lils, knowing that you love me… it just makes me crazy. And then, during those times, when I see you come into my flat looking tired and worn out and you mock Sirius and plop down on the couch next to me and close your eyes and sigh and complain and lean against me, and I feel so very inspirational inside, like that just made my day… during those times, I know I'm in love. I'm in love with you, Lily Evans."

She grinned, her face now flushed. Never had anyone been so honest with her. Never had anyone been so enamored with her. She felt like she should give him something in return.

"And Lily," he went on, not giving her a chance to respond. He stood up, opening his arms and turning to her. She rose, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Lily, I'm giving you all that I am. I'm about to break the Marauders code and do something terrible wishy washy that will make you weak at the knees. Lily," he went on, kneeling down, "Lily, I want to marry you. I want to see you everyday and not worry about seeing you. I just want to know that I'll see you. I want you to say yes," he pleaded, kissing her hands. "Say yes."

A million things went through her head. She remembered the first day at Hogwarts, the annoying boy with dark hair and glasses who knew everything. She remembered her first detention, brought on by none other. She remembered her kiss, Sirius, on her cheek in third year. She remembered James being hysterical and screaming and not talking to his mate for nearly two weeks. She remembered fifth year, James always trying to sit next to her on the couch in the common room without her noticing. She remembered James acting shy and stumbling over his words when he realized Lily was taking him seriously. She remembered their first kiss, the day he asked her out. She remembered getting caught by Filch fooling around in he heads bath. She remembered her first time, how scared she had been. She remembered graduation, afraid she'd never see him again.

But then one memory came to mind. She remembered the night she found out her parents had died. She remembered crying, feeling empty, and stumbling into his dorm, not knowing what to say. She remembered Sirius waking him up, and how quickly he jumped up to get her. She remembered crying into him in his bed that night, knowing that the other three could hear her from the other side of the curtains and feeling stupid. She remembered not caring because as she fell asleep that night, her eyed sore and raw and feeling terribly empty and drained, she remembered feeling safe. Very safe. And warm. And comfortable. And perfect.

And she knew. And she realized that she had kept James waiting too long while sorting through her memories. He now rested his head on her stomach, devoid of show of emotion.

"James," Lily started, not sure of what to say. "James, love, anything. Yes. Of course. Did you think I'd ever say no? Were you worried?" she began to ramble. "I'm sorry. I was remembering everything, everything. I didn't realize you were waiting. I didn't realize you were worried. I hope you weren't worried." She finished, looking entirely bashful.

He grinned, his old cocky grin, and drew her to him, inhaling the scent of her hair.

"No I wasn't worried, of course not," he assured her in a shaky voice, even though he knew she knew that he had, indeed, been worried. "What were you remembering?"

"The night my parents died," she breathed into his neck. They were still holding each other. "I remember being miserable but at the same time knowing that you were holding me and making me safe. After I cried, before I fell asleep, I remember feeling amazingly content. And I remember knowing that the others were on the other side of you curtains, worried about me. I liked that. I liked laying with you. I want it to be that way for good."

"So do I," he smiled, pulling back to look at her face.

oooooooo

"You must be freezing," he muttered, walking up the steps in the flat that they now lived in together. "And out of your mind."

"Yes, I am out of my mind," she frowned. "Out of my mind for marrying you."

"Love does crazy things to a person," he agreed, kissing her cheek. "What _are _you doing out here?"

"Waiting for you," she replied. Honestly, sometimes he was so dense.

"It must be twenty degrees, and the air is all wet. It's miserable. You're mad."

"I was worried about you."

His smile disappeared. "Don't do that."

"Do you know what time it is? Do you know what time you were supposed to be home? Do you know what happen to people alone at night?" she ranted, waving her arms in hysteria.

"It's fine," he snipped, steadying her and rushing them inside. "I'm fine. I'm only a little late-"

"Try six hours, James!"

"But I'm fine. What could have happened?" he asked her, incredulously.

"We're in the order James," she hissed, lowering her voice. "A great many number of things could have happened. You could be _dead._"

"THAT is not going to happen," he assured her, walking towards their apartment. She followed.

"You can't guarantee it," she argued, angrily.

"I can. I promise you Lily, I, we, will not die. I will assure it."

"No James," she halted, mid stair, "you may be bright and cocky. Hell, you're talented as anyone, but there are some things people can't do. You cannot guarantee me this."

"I will not die. You will not die. Sirius will not die. Remus will not die. Pete will not die." He put stress on each name, as if making each one true. "It just won't happen."

"Damn it, Potter," she yelled, as soon as the door to their apartment had shut behind her, "'You have no regard to anybody but yourself and your damn kicks. All you think about is what's hanging between your legs and how much money or fun you can get out of people and then you just throw them aside. It never occurs to you that life is serious and there are people trying to make something decent out of it instead of just goofing all the time.'"

"Hey," he snapped, stepping so close to her that he towered over her, making her take in every word he uttered. "That's not half true, and you know it. I care about you, and I have plenty regards for what happens to other people. You don't think I think about what I would do if something happened. What is Sirius were killed? What if Remus? What if," he faltered, covering it, "What if you were killed?"

"Sometimes I hate you James," she whined, stepping back from him. Moving in together had been tough, and there had been little fights. They had needed a release. They needed to yell and throw things and overflow and explode. Lily knew that it was coming, and this was it.

"And life is serious," he went on, ignoring her. "And I am making something decent out of it. I would expect you to know that about me."

"Where were you?" she demanded finally, crossing her arms and ignoring his comeback.

"I was at Remus's," James sighed, running his hands though his hard. "Did you happen to know what today is?" he demanded. "Did you happen to look up at the sky while you were outside?" he spat. "They wanted me to stay. They begged me to stay, but I told them no. I told them I had to get home because you were worried about me."

"Well why would you stay at Remus's?" she questioned, narrowing her eyes. "And what do you mean by they? Exactly how _would _you stay if he was in his state? He can't be around people like that, you know."

"I know," he snarled, realizing that she still didn't know about their talent.

"Well?" She waited for an explanation.

"Look," he said, sitting down and closing his eyes. "I've never told you but Sirius, Pete, and I became animagi in fifth year. We turn into animals and spend the full moon with Remus."

"You," she laughed manically. "You expect me to believe that?" She denied his statement. He didn't answer her. She waited a moment. "Your and ANI-BLOODY-MAGUS and you never thought to bloody tell me?" she yelled, standing up. "YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS A BIT IMPORTANT? BLOODY HELL JAMES, WE'RE GETTING MARRIED."

"Look, I'm sorry," he admitted. "I should have told you, you're right."

"I know I'm right. All the times when you were hurt and scratched up… you told me it was quidditch for God's sake."

"Look…"

"And you've been playing with a werewolf!" She was mad, really mad. James had never seen her this mad. It wasn't cute mad, James was a bit frightened, honestly. "What if something had happened? He could have bitten you."

"Remus wouldn't bite us," James defended his friend. "How can you even accuse him of that?"

"I swear to God, your so dense sometimes," she spat. "How can you honestly not realize that he can't control himself? He's sick, James. He's not himself. Where are you going?"

James had gotten up and stalked into the bedroom, pulling the comforter down and pulling a pillow off the bed. He stomped to the closet. "I can't sleep with you when we're fighting," he stated, reaching to the top shelf for a blanket.

"You're being ridiculous."

"I'm tired. I don't feel like fighting. I want to go to bed," he finished, laying on the sofa.

"You haven't eaten," she said gently, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

"I'm not hungry," he replied, turning his back to her on the couch.

"Well I'm going to bed too then," she cried, stomping off toward the bedroom. "If you're going to act like this."

"Sweet dreams," he called, lazily. Lily couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, and for a brief moment she was overcome by a pang of guilt.

Hours later, in the twilight of the morning, Lily woke up for the tenth time that night. She felt cold, and alone. Sick with herself, she knew that it was the only time that she had slept alone in a bed for nearly six months. It was strange. The bed was exceptionally large. Worse off, she kept having nightmares that something was happening, that there was some reason that he wasn't there besides her own stupidity and how arrogance. Picking out an extra blanket from the linens on the floor in the corner, Lily wrapped it around her and crept our of the bedroom. Her feet on the wood floor were cold, and she quickly made her way to the rug on the floor in the living room.

James looked surprisingly comfortable their on the couch, but cold. Definitely cold. His feet stuck out of the blanket he had picked, and his face had a pained expression on it. Opening her blanket slightly, she crawled over him, wedging herself into the space between him and the couch, to which he still faced. She wrapped her blanket around both of them, each keeping the other warm. Immediately a sense of drowsiness came over Lily, and she was soon fast asleep, her head squished between James's elbow and the seat cushion.

When James woke up the next morning, he realized that he was surprisingly warm and comfortable for the fact that he was on the couch with a thin blanket. He was ready to drift back to sleep, feeling so warm and comfortable, when something seriously warm hit his chest. Lifting his blanket, he noticed another, and his fiancé, turning her face over on his t-shirt.

oooooooo

They had fought, but they had made it. Hell, they fought all the time. In the end, they always made up, and kissed and hugged and made Sirius gag, but they fought all the bloody time.

The day had come though, and Lily was quaking in her hypothetical boots.

oooooooo

"You look ravishing, darling," a dark hair man crept up behind Lily, covering her eyes.

"Get out!" she screeched, spinning around in her slip, nearly messing up her hair. "It's bad luck for you…Oh, it's only you."

Sirius let out a bark like laugh, Lily scowling at him.

"You're a bad man, Sirius Black," she scolded, settling back down.

"No I'm not," he laughed, sitting across from her. "Is that your dress? When are you going to put it on?" he nodded, towards a white piece of fluff hanging up.

"Soon," she sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back against the counter. "What time is it?"

"It's barely a quarter past three. Are you ready?"

"I have until four twenty," she laughed, her eyes still closed.

"Tired? I don't expect you got much sleep last night. Were you nervous?"

"I was up all night remembering things. Elair and Mel kept me out late anyway," she answered, opening one eye to watch his reaction.

"What were you remembering?" he teased.

"Everything." She rubbed her eyes, turning around to observe them in the mirror. She did not turn back to him. "Everything from say fifth year on. Sirius?" She brushed her cheeks with some make up.

"Mmhmm?" he answered, lazily. He was quite tired himself. Stag night had been no easy duty.

"I want Remus to walk me down the aisle," she confessed.

"He's a groomsman," Sirius replied. "There must be someone else."

"No, well…. Petunia made Vernon offer, but I would rather walk down myself than have that oaf in my wedding. No, Remus has to do it. He's been like my brother since we were prefects and if it wasn't for him I don't know if James and I would have ever gotten together at all…" she explained, exasperated.

"Well I'll tell him," Sirius responded, getting up, "but I don't know if he'll accept. I mean, Prongs is his best friend, not you…" Sirius teased her. He walked to the door, putting his hand on the knob. "I'll let Mel in, she's dying to see you. You two must have gotten a lot closer in the past few months."

"We did," she nodded. "I don't know if I could have done it without her. Funny, we were never that close in school."

"Told you I could pick 'em right," he bragged. "And Lily, James is dying to see you. He can't even sit still. Part of me thinks he's been planning this since we were fifteen."

"You know," she challenged, that wasn't so long ago…"

"How old are we now?" Sirius laughed. "Still nineteen? It seems so much older than that…" He trailed off in a tone that could only leave her guessing as to what he was thinking.

"Well go on, get out!" She shooed him away. "Go tell Remus and send Mel in."

"As you wish." He bowed, messing around with her. He finally opened the door with a final smirk, and Mel entered not moments later.

"What was he doing in here?" Her eyes bugged out at Lily, alarmed.

"Bugging me!" Lily answered, exasperated. "How long have we got?"

"Barely forty minutes," Mel shrieked, flying towards Lily. "Are you leaving your hair down?"

"Yes! Why?" Lily spun around, suddenly nervous. "Does it not look alright? I thought it was okay."

"No, it looks _amazing_, Lils," Mel assured her. "You just usually wear it up."

"What about my make up?"

"It just needs a little touch up," her friend admitted, reaching for some beige powder as Lily turned towards her. "Are you alright?" Mel asked, interrupting the ensuing silence.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Lily replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Mel said nothing, but stared Lily in the eyes, eyebrows slightly raised. "I feel like my stomach is coming up my throat," Lily murmured her confession.

"Well I'd consider you mad if you didn't," Mel laughed, squeezing Lily's arm. "This is the rest of your life we're talking about."

"Well my wedding should be this physically painful," Lily whined.

"If it makes you feel any better, James isn't freaking out," Mel assured her friend.

"Why would that make me feel any better?" Lily asked, bewildered. "If James isn't freaking out that means that he loves me more than I do hi-imm…" she whined more, stressing the sound in 'him'.

"Not at all," Mel cried, hugging her friend, careful not to mess up her hair or make-up. "It just means that he's been in love with you longer than you hi-immm…" she mocked. "Which he has, if I recall correctly. I may have been in the year below you all, but I was not blind."

Lily blushed, turning back to the mirror. She looked at the clock on the wall, reading four o'clock. "Guess I should put on my dress. Care to help?"

Before long Lily was dressed, fully ready to walk down the aisle. Her v-neck dress hung with gauzy elegance off the edges of her shoulders, curving down her chest, meeting at the end. The dress fit her every curve, no matter how cheesy it sounded, and floated off her hips, flowing all the way down to her feet, concealing what she liked to think of as glass slippers. Tiny white roses had been braided through her auburn waves, and no veil covered her face.

She had already parted with Mel, who had walked down the aisles as the maid of honor, and she now waited just outside the front doors to the chapel with Remus.

"You know, he began, you are the stunning definition of beauty this afternoon," he whispered bashfully.

She blushed, looking down. "Thanks," she murmured.

"And, I never met your family Lily, but I believe that your mother and father would be quite proud of you. They'd be crazy not to. James is a good man. I believe you're father would have liked him."

"He would have. With James's charm, my father would have declared a national holiday when we got engaged," Lily sighed sadly. "My one regret is them never meeting him. They would have adored him."

"I'm sure they do," he assured her, holding out his arm for her to take. "Ready?" She nodded nervously and slightly pale. "Smile now, they would want you to be happy."

"I am," she assured her, turning to face him for one last word as the music began. A smile subconsciously grew on her face. "I'm happier than I've ever been in the entirety of my life."

oooooooo

Wow. Long.

How'd you guys like that? It took me forever to write, but I've been busy with school as of late. I got the idea for the first two scenes while I was at work, actually, and I couldn't get them out of my head. I was forced to rush home after and write them down. It kept happening. I'd be at school and a scene would pop into my head and I'd write it as soon as I got home.

There was actually a scene I had to cut out which I'd written. It was a lovely little scene with James and Lily's father. It popped into my head and I wrote it down, but had to cut it after I remembered that they were dead. I considered not killing them, but they had to be dead by the time Lily was 21, and I thought it brought the two closer, so I kept it in. I replaced that scene with the one of James and Sirius arguing before he proposes.

Oh well, I hoped you liked it. I'm actually quite proud of it. This is nearly fifty pages in Word.

Oh yeah, nice full circle ending with Lupin, eh? The two had to be close, the way he talked about her to Harry. Oh well, I saw him as brotherly.


End file.
